The Dream
by Brigit
Summary: ok there was so many errors in chp 1 that i couldnt stand it,so i edited it a bit.i changed a little to help the plot and a little more cause i wanted to, but everything is pretty much the same. im in the middle of chp3 so itll be out by this weekend..r/r
1. The Fog

~~~*~~~ Authors note: first and foremost I own nothing except made up characters that are not in LOTR. So don't sue me, there is no money to be had… trust me. Ok secondly, this is not a Mary Sue. I didn't send myself to Middle-Earth. The only reason why the main character has the same name as me is because I'm too lazy to look another one up, and I'm not creative enough to invent one from thin air. Ok lastly, I went back to read this story and nearly had a heart attach. There were so many mistakes, I was so ashamed. O and I changed some minor things to help the plot flow. Enjoy (… Brigit ~~~*~~~  
  
  
  
"I came to see you, how could I not?" a faint voice murmured in the fog. "Long has your face haunted my dreams, long have I desired your touch."  
  
"Who are you?" I asked, not realizing he had answered a question I had yet to ask. "Your voice is filled with sorrow, yet I know not the cause of your grief."  
  
At that moment I realized that I was talking to a man dressed in gray. He had a bow and quiver attached to his broad back and his blond hair was half up in braids.  
  
"My grief?" he looked away, as if ashamed of his emotions being read so easily by one he has just met. "I do not grieve anything save the lack of your presence."  
  
"My presence, or lack there of, should not be of your concern. Your mysteries run deep, sir, and mine seem not to exist. Tell me your name, my lord, for I am curious as to how you found your way here."  
  
The fog seemed to lift at my words, revealing a forest with leaves golden as the sun. I thought that was strange, since all trees shed their leaves, and remain barren and dormant throughout the winter. These trees seem to be of a strange breed for I did not recognize them. That is a far feet considering my origins are Celtic and I know a great deal about trees.  
  
"My curiosity of your name is put on hold by the sight of this strange forest. I am well versed in the way of trees, yet I do not know what kind these are." I was held captive by the sway of the golden diamonds attached to the branches of the nameless trees.  
  
"This forest is called Lothlorien. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn reside inside its borders. The people of this forest are known as the galadrim, the tree dwellers. There is no place fairer, not even Rivendell or my beloved Mirkwood. This is the land of the woodland elves," he sighes. "O how the world may war and change, but fair Lorien never ages. Where as some lands talk of the old ones; in Lothlorien the old ones still dwell." He seemed to be stuck in a memory, a memory that at one time might have been joyous, but is now bitter for time ruins good memories with bad experiences.  
  
Before he could sing a lament, I said, "Twice now I have asked, and twice you have not answered. Please, who are you and why am I here?"  
  
He looked at me with such intensity and sorrow that I could barely hold his gaze. "My name you have once whispered in the darkness of our room, declaring your love for me. I taught you to shoot a bow, to throw a dagger and wield a sword. My name you have known forever and will know into eternity."  
  
My eyes grew at those words. Memories flooded my mind, of myself and this stranger playing as children, of pain and love and admiration. Memories I have never had, never experienced, became as clear as the night sky. In overload, I sat down on the soft floor of the forest. He stood looming over me, as confusing as the memories I know I never experienced.  
  
"Maeve, my name is..."  
  
"Legolas." I whispered in shock, for I did indeed know his name and would probably never forget it.  
  
As if on command, the golden leaves fell off the branches holding them and green leaves took their place. All too soon, the fog started to swallow the forest. Legolas looked at me with such sorrow that I knew I would never see him again.  
  
In minutes the fog covered the entire forest, blanketing the strange trees, the golden floor, until Legolas and I were the only ones not swallowed. I had a strange urge to throw myself in his arms, to plead him to stay or let me come with him. Before I could decide it was a bad idea, he approached me, took my hand, and kissed the palm. My breath caught, for though the kiss was as light as a feather, I felt it sear into my soul, to the very core.  
  
"I do not understand..." I breathed.  
  
"Nor should you. But you will."  
  
I gave in and whispered, "Don't go, please stay."  
  
He smiled sadly as the fog swallowed him right in front of me. "I fear I can not, Lady Maeve. But I will return... and one day so shall you."  
  
A sudden panic overcame me as he was swallowed by the oppressive blanket.  
  
"Wait!" I yelled, waking up from the dream. I was breathing hard and my heart felt like it was in a vise.  
  
I looked around me, still in panic, and realized I was still in my room. I up against the headboard and tried to catch my breath. That same dream has been haunting me for months. I did not know what to make of it. I'm just going insane, I thought to myself, I just need to get a man... or get laid. Which ever comes first. With that decision I would never go through with, I got up to get a drink of water. Knowing I would not go back to sleep, I turned on the TV to try to bore myself to sleep. I settled on the Jay Leno show. One of the guests was a British actor, who I thought looked very familiar.  
  
Horror and a strange stillness overcame me as he described the movie he had done, "The Lord of the Rings". He played Legolas, a prince of Mirkwood and a woodland elf. I had never even heard of any lord of the ring, and my definition of elves is 2-inch people who make shoes. How could my mind make all of that up, from NOTHING? Brige, I said to myself, don't freak. Strange stuff like this happens all the time, right? But how did I know his name, where he was from? You could have seen a scene from the movie with out knowing it, I argued with myself. That may be the case, because he called me Maeve and my name is Brigit (Brige for short). There may be a character in the movie named Maeve, and I just saw the scene and then had a dream about it. It makes sense. It could happen. Now I need to go see the movie to see if it was true.  
  
Any lingering doubts got temporarily misplaced when my cat, Whistle, suddenly jumped in my lap and, startled, I gave a shriek and spilt water all over myself. "Dammit, cat! Shoo!" The cat, content with her attention getting plan, jumped off and purred himself to sleep on the couch.  
  
Disgusted, I rolled my eyes and smiling, lovingly patted the cat on the head as I went back to bed. After I changed clothes, I settled into my bed trying to forget the fog and the blond headed fictional character *I tried to convince myself* and forced myself to sleep.  
  
As I fell asleep, images of Lorien danced across my mind, convincing me to fall asleep faster to revisit the fairest place in Middle-Earth. As I drifted and waited for the fog, I distantly wondered what Middle-Earth was and how do I get there?  
  
Then all thought left as the fog covered my mind... 


	2. The Sirens' Call

"Relax. Breathe and listen to the music. Imagine yourself floating, floating, floating…"  
  
I can't believe Bri actually talked me into this. Bri is the sensible type, the one who flosses every day, never cheats on her taxes and never turns them in late. It was kind of a shock when she told me to try hypnosis.  
  
"Just try it, you never know." She said. "It won't hurt." She said.  
  
Yea, well she's not sitting here feeling a complete fool while she's imaging herself floating like a stupid cloud. What was the point of this again? Oh yea, to figure out my dream. I could have gone to a shrink who said I secretly hate my mother, but no, I'm floating instead. I'm not bitter.  
  
"Just start floating," I said to myself. "And when this doesn't work I can just go on to hating my mother."  
  
I sat back in the recliner, cleared my mind, and imagined myself on a cloud. Then I fell asleep.  
  
I awoke to a silk covered bed with half melted candles placed sporadically around the room. The bed was a four poster canopy with thin silver curtains surrounding it. There was a beautiful medieval armoise-looking chest of drawers in the corner across from the bed. The morning sun streamed in from some opening I could not see. Where am I? I got up to look out the window and that was the first time I realized what I was wearing. It was a thin white night gown with a seam under the bosom and thick straps. It was quite gorgeous, but it wasn't mine. I walked towards the sun and there was a small hall leading to a pair of doors that opened up to a balcony. The doors had some kind of vine design with elfish runes on them. Elfish runes? How did I recognize them? I looked over the balcony and froze. I was at least 30 stories about the ground! I looked across the way and stared at the room next to mine. It was held up by a tree, a tree that looked like the ones in my dreams. Startled I walked back inside the room. I was so shocked that I didn't notice the door opening.  
  
"Ma'am?" the young girl said. "I came to dress you, My lady."  
  
"Dress me?" I said in a daze, not looking at the girl.  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
I looked at her and my heart stopped. She had a startling resemblance to Bri that I could do nothing but stare at her. She wore a gown that was made of an unknown material that shimmered and seemed to change color as she walked. Though her dress was quite breath taking, the young girl's grace and movement looked like royalty. She was looking inside the armoise when I noticed her ears. They were pointed at the tips in such a way that her ears looked tear shaped.  
  
I wanted to laugh, because I finally figured out what was happening. This was some kind of prank that Bri wanted to put on me because of the strange dreams. Bri wasn't really a prankster but I'm sure she has some part in it. I tried to tell her "Ok, Bri, jokes up." But the words wouldn't come. I tried so hard but what came out was "What has Father planned for me today?"  
  
What?  
  
While I was in my own thoughts, she had laid clothes out on the bed. A riding uniform? I don't know how to ride. I don't even like horses, I thought in a panic.  
  
"You are to go riding with Lady Galadriel's daughter, and then a picnic with Prince Legolas of Mirkwood," she answered as she dressed me. PRINCE Legolas? And I'm supposed to have a picnic with him?  
  
"Oh, that vile wretch? Why does he want a picnic with me? Why can't he stay in Mirkwood where he belongs?" Why am I saying such things? I don't even know him, and the one encounter with him in my dream wasn't all that bad. What's wrong with me? My mind said one thing and my body did another. It was like witnessing a play; I didn't have a say in what happens even though I was one of the actors.  
  
"Well, I think he's quite nice," she replied. "And he is your betrothed."  
  
WHAT! My betrothed! He can't be my betrothed! I don't have a betrothed! What happened to Women's Lib.? I'm not a piece of furniture, to be handed off to whomever deemed worthy! My emotions turned from stunned to fury so quick that the room spun, and the floor rose up to greet me.  
  
"Lady Maeve!" she said as she helped me to the bed. "Are you hurt? I looked away to get your boots and I heard a thump and there you were on the ground. Are you injured? My lady, please speak." Her words were so jumbled that it was hard to discern what she said.  
  
Through the ramblings I heard "Should I call a doctor?"  
  
"No," I said, laughing unsteadily. "I was just feeling a little light headed."  
  
"Are you sure, My lady?" she looked at me with worry and doubt plain in her blue gaze.  
  
"Quite. Please lets finish dressing so I can get down stairs before they send the artillery."  
  
With that, she finished dressing me and I went down stairs to face the unknown. The only thoughts that were going through my mind were the picnic with Legolas and those damned horses.  
  
Galadriel's daughter, Nipheril (named after the plant native to Lorien), was actually quite pleasant. It was the horse I had to ride, Wolfsbane, that was horrifying. The horse was a wild creature, riding fast and furious, jumping over logs and puddles to get me off his back. I, Merry, had never ridden a horse before, but Lady Maeve delighted in it. She felt joyous in the strength of the horse beneath her. What scared me the most was that I rode without a saddle and had to clutch Wlfsbane's hair and hold on for dear life. Nipheril and I talked about all kinds of things on our ride and became fast friends, even though I was still a little bit dazed in this strange world. As I said goodbye to Nipheril, I thought about the next meeting that was planned for me. A picnic with the Prince of Mirkwood. I wasn't sure as to the reason I called him a "vile wretch", but maybe he could answer some questions.  
  
The young servant girl who had looked like Bri, Briannon I found out her name was, dressed me in a beautiful golden dress that was the same style as my night gown. The golden color was the exact tone as the leaves in winter, and the cloth was soft to the touch. A fine silk, maybe finer, I thought to myself. But what's finer than silk? Briannon put half of my hair up in an arrangement of braids and twists that was pinned in place and let the rest of my hair fall down my back to my waist. I found a small mirror in my armoise to look at her handiwork. I was so shocked at my reflection that I dropped the mirror. It was the first look I had of myself all day. Expecting the mirror to shatter into a million pieces, I stepped back, but the mirror didn't break. In fact, as I picked it up again, it didn't even have a dint or a scratch. What kind of glass is this made of?  
  
"Its Elfish, My lady," Briannon said with humor in her eyes. "It can't break. Even if the whole Lonely Mountain crumbled upon it, it would hold strong."  
  
I looked at her with a blank face. I had not realized I had spoken aloud. But as I looked back into the mirror, looked at my fair complexion -too fair to be human-, looked at my ears that were tear shaped, one word echoed in my mind like a siren's call – Elfish. 


End file.
